Metuchen High School boys soccer coach Ken Graf, bolstered by the support of a state lawmaker and his school community, may be able to return to the sidelines this fall.

In what could be a victory for veteran mentors statewide, Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), introduced legislation on Thursday that would allow retired teachers to remain under the employ of their school district as coaches without losing their retirement benefits provided their annual coaching stipend does not exceed $10,000.

The state’s regulations for retired members of the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund are designed to curtail the practice known as double dipping, in which retirees collect a pension and return to the same job. The current law requires a complete termination of the teacher’s employment relationship with the school district for a period of at least 180 days. Violation could result in benefits being suspended or subject to penalty.

“I think it’s a very reasonable solution because obviously we don’t want folks using this as an opportunity to abuse the system,” Diegnan said. “We just want to basically put in place reasonable controls, and I think this is a reasonable control.”

Graf, who will retire at the end of next month after teaching social studies at Edgar Middle School for 42 years, wants to return to the sidelines to coach the Bulldogs for a 40th season, but can’t unless Diegnan’s bill becomes law. Graf earns a non-pensionable stipend of $7,000 per year to coach.

Diegnan said he is “sure” Senator Peter Barnes III (D-Edison), will introduce a companion bill and that he is “very optimistic” Gov. Chris Christie will sign the bill into law before the end of next month.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to about it is supportive,” said Diegnan, adding he has received “nothing but universal support for the coach.”

Since MyCentralJersey.com first reported Graf’s story, he said Metuchen High School students have circulated petitions throughout the borough in support of changing the state’s pension laws for retiring teachers who still want to coach.

“The support I’ve gotten has been overwhelming,” said Graf, who plans to hand deliver the signed petitions to Christie’s office early next month. “The administration, the teaching staff and even the students have been talking about it at the high school and the middle school. I’ve been getting calls from people from all over the state.”

Tim Gushue, the longtime Shawnee football coach and past president of the New Jersey Football Coaches Association, retired on Dec. 20 from his teaching position at the high school but rescinded his retirement upon learning it would impact his ability to return to the gridiron for a 38th season.

“When you look at the legislation, I understand the initial intent,” Gushue said. “It was well-documented around the state that there were people taking advantage of the pension system. The money we receive (as coaches) is non-pensionable, so it doesn’t impact the pension system any way. We are not coaching for the money. We do it for the love of the game, trying to develop young people and make them better students and members of their community by teaching all those life lessons through (sports).

“This legislation is very exciting because I think there are some people that have such a great impact on their communities that if they have the wherewithal and the administrations of their schools feel good about them staying on board, for the life of me I just couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t happen.”

Tony Gonsalves, who is retiring from South Amboy after teaching history for 39 years, wants to return to coach the high school’s boys soccer team for a 37th season in the fall. He said Diegnan’s legislation is “great news.”

“I’m glad to see they moved on this quickly because you know how the bureaucracy is sometimes,” said Gonsalves of Diegnan’s bill, which was introduced less than two weeks after the legislator and Graf first talked about the pension law’s impact on coaches.

“Just like (Graf and Gushue), I’m emotional about the game and want to continue coaching and teaching these guys, so I’m pleased that we can possibly continue.”